The Monster Within
by Eponine4
Summary: Vampires, lies, pain, blood, sensuality, passion, When Ron's ignored he wanders into a bad place, what will become of someone who feels unloved by all around him? R/H D/H R/?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing...Nothing at all sigh   
  
Summary: When Ron notices that the girl he likes doesn't think of him in the same way, he starts wandering off alone into the only place he can feel alone, but not lonely. Something awful happens and he wonders if he can ever be the same again. Romance and Angst galore.   
  
Rated: R for swearing, angst, blood, and sensuality  
  
  
Left Out   
  
Ron watched them from the doorway to the boy's dormitory. It made him uncomfortable, but he didn't know any way he could possibly stop it. This is what she's been waiting for. He thought to himself. Just like you've been waiting. His eyes drifted across the Gryffindor common room to the curly brown mass that hung over a book. The curly hair was brushed back by a slender hand and Hermione Granger's face was revealed. She looked up to Ron looked pointedly at Harry and Ginny and then back to Ron again grinning.   
  
Harry and Ginny. They weren't officially "together" but it was obvious that, that's where it was headed. Third...No, forth time Harry's offered to help her in charms... Her best subject. Of course Ginny had accepted each time. He glanced back to Hermione, who had once again disappeared beneath her hair. He wondered when the last time was that she had asked him if he needed help in his homework. She was busy this year, her own course load heavier then usual this being there seventh year, and when she wasn't studying, well, she kept disappearing.   
  
"Oi, Ron, wanna play exploding snap?" Seamus asked from the corner, where he sat with Parvati, Lavender, Dean and Neville.   
  
"Uh, I was just gonna do some homework, maybe later," Ron said stepping back into his room and grabbing his books. He hadn't missed the surprised look an Hermione's face when he had said it. "Studying over games?" he could almost hear her sputter.   
  
Ron wandered back out to the squishy armchair where she was studying and sat in the one next to it, trying to ignore Harry and Ginny across from him.   
  
"Ok, what is it?" She asked as he sat down, a Don't-Mess-With-Me-Weasley look on her face. Ron threw on his best, What-Are-You-Talking-About face. "Studying over playing games? Honestly Ron, I've known you for seven years, I'm not stupid," She explained. Ron grinned.   
  
"Well, I'm behind, I haven't had you nagging me to get to work as much, like you used to. Your always off on your special 'Head Girl' duties." Ron didn't miss her eyes flit from his to the ground. Faint color creeped into her cheeks. "What?"   
"Nothing, I didn't say anything," Hermione snapped ducking her head bellow her hair and pretending to be engrossed in her reading.   
  
"Hermione...... Hermione, I know your not reading, your eyes aren't moving." Ron pointed out. She glared up at him.   
  
"Nothing gets past you anymore," she said piling her books up on her lap and standing. "I just remembered, my turn to patrol the corridors," Hermione said abruptly. Ron felt his mouth gaping; he wondered what had made her so anxious to leave.   
  
"I'll come help you," He offered after she was halfway to the portrait hole.   
  
"That's ok, I can handle it," She called behind her without turning her head. He watched, puzzled, as she stepped out the portrait hall. When he turned around several pairs of eyes were on him.   
  
"What?" He asked shooting a look at Harry.   
  
"D'you two get into a fight?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.   
  
"I don't think so," He muttered shrugging. He walked over taken a seat across from Harry and Ginny.   
  
"She looked kinda annoyed with you," Ginny agreed. Ron scowled.   
  
"I didn't do anything."   
  
Ginny and Harry exchanged glances.   
  
"I'm sure you'll figure out what it is, maybe sleep will help," Harry said after a second.   
  
"Or a long walk," Ginny added. Ron scowled harder getting up. Oh lets not be subtle about wanting me to leave now.   
  
He took a walk, not because Ginny had suggested it might make him feel better, but because he knew they wanted him to leave. He sat for a while in the library but it seemed too crowded, too many people shooting him glances that said: "What's he doing in here all alone?" So he left finding an empty classroom, which he sat in for a while.   
  
Silence, dead silence.   
  
Creepy. Ron thought being accustomed to the soft talking and moving about noises one learns to get used to when living in a large family. No this won't do either. Not enough going on. He glanced out the window of the classroom, trees loomed in the distance, small faeries darted in and out of trees like stars fallen from the sky.   
"The forest." He said to no one in particular. 


	2. The Forest

Disclaimer: Still own nothing  
  
Summary: Ron goes into the forest, thoughts about him and Hermione, about Harry and Ginny, and about life in general, plus confronting Hermione about where she's been.   
  
The Forest  
  
It was cool outside; Ron wrapped his jacket around him tightly and walked across the grounds shielding his eyes from the pinkish sun that was setting off to his right. He hurried past Hagrid's cabin, hoping he wouldn't be stopped.   
  
He wasn't.   
  
Soon he was plunging beneath the canopy of trees, wondering of his own confidence. A year ago he wasn't sure he'd be brave enough to go into the dark forest alone.   
  
He avoided any paths that seemed to have no patches of light on the ground, or any directions with too many pairs of red eyes peering at him. He finally got to a clearing, where the trees seemed to grow in a circle leaving a hole that opened into the sky. He sat down against a tree and stared up at the now deep blue sky with twinkling stars like winking eyes peering down at him.   
  
Ron stared up at the stars trying to remember the constellations he had learned in astronomy, and what the brightness of different stars meant. He only ended up finding the big dipper and little dipper, and couldn't remember what the brightness of the stars in those constellations meant. His eyes drifted lazily to a cluster of tiny stars, he stared at it for a while before seeing a girl smiling down at him.  
  
Hermione.   
  
He grinned. 'You've got it bad Weasley, really bad.' He thought to himself.  
  
"And I could have had her," he said out loud to no one thinking of the past years. In forth year when she'd practically told him to ask her out, he hadn't though in fifth year when they had a valentine ball. She'd hinted at how she'd wanted him to take her but he was too stuck on being "friends" to realize that none of that mattered compared to the feeling he got in his stomach when he thought about her. She'd given up on him by sixth year when he'd finally noticed that he was in love with her. He'd pushed trying to get her to realize that she still loved him too, eventually pushing her away.   
  
"The timing's just off, I know how you feel and how I feel, but it's not god timing," She had said with that comforting look in her eyes that always made him feel pathetic.   
  
"What are you saying? I really, really do like you.... Like that," Ron had said back feeling depressed.   
  
"For now, lets just stay friends..." She had seen the look on his face and Ron wished he had just gone for it and said he was in love with her.   
  
'But I still have time, if I act fast,' Ron thought to himself. He stared up at the stars coloring in with his mind wild, curly chestnut colored hair, velvety eyes, and a wide and demanding smile.   
"Hermione," Ron started the next morning at breakfast. She looked up at him questioningly. "I need to talk to you... It's important," He said nervously. Harry and Ginny stared at him interestedly. "Alone."   
  
"Ok," She said slowly looking slightly uneasy. She followed him out into the empty corridor outside the Great Hall.   
  
"I can't... Uh, wait, anymore, I think I've fallen in love with you," Ron blurted out not looking directly at her. It was Quiet. Silent.   
  
"You said the timing wasn't right but now-"   
  
"Ron, I think I need to tell you something," Hermione broke in. Ron looked up at her feeling himself go very red.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I'm sorta, well, not sorta really, I'm seeing someone," She said softly. Ron sucked in a deep breath and tried to look unfazed.   
  
"Ok." He muttered his mouth going dry.   
  
"Ron, I'm sorr-"   
  
"What happened to 'for now'? Hermione, people asked me out too, I was waiting for you, I know I waited to long to realize I liked you, but..." He trailed off "Who is it?" Hermione had tears in her eyes. She stepped forward hugging herself to him. He went ridged.   
  
"Who is it?" He demanded.   
  
"I don't think telling you would be a good idea," She said softly. They were both quiet then Hermione pulled away giving him an apologetic smile, with tearstained cheeks, she walked away. 


	3. Men Don't Cry

Disclaimer: Well, I guess I sorta own the plot, but.... just incase somehow someone has the exact same thoughts as I do and has already written this in some sort of mad coincidence, I OWN NOTHING, there, now I can't be sued.   
  
Summary: Depression, and a warning   
Men Don't Cry   
  
The forest. He couldn't keep himself from running there between classes and right after classes were over every night. Hermione had told him she wanted to talk to him three times now, but he had told her he'd be busy. And he would. He'd be gone. Somewhere that no one would think to look for him.   
  
The screeching of a banshee far in the distance echoed in his ears, his eyes clung to the stars, Hermione painted across the darkness. He tried mentally filling her in with plain features and bushy hair, but couldn't do it.   
  
He could feel the wet heat on his cheeks before he new he new that he was crying.   
  
'Damnit, damnit! Men don't cry,' He thought to himself angrily. He never cried anymore, not since he had turned nine and Fred and George went to Hogwarts and they told him that when he grew up and stopped acting like a little kid that he could go too. Only Hermione could make him this mad. He dozed off resting his head against a tree in a spot he had found two nights before.   
  
Hermione danced into his dream with some face less guy. She looked happy.   
  
He heard the sob but somehow couldn't connect it to himself. It seemed far away, just as everything else in his life was. He felt like he was sitting watching someone else's life play out in front of him, like he was reading a novel.   
  
'Except, novels have happy endings,' Ron thought grimly. He was letting the image come back when he was shaken.   
  
"Ron? That you?" Came a gruff voice. He opened his eyes. "What ya think yer doin' 'ere?" Hagrid asked in a furious manner.   
  
"Sleeping," Ron muttered plainly.   
  
"Not in 'ere yer not," Hagrid said pulling him up off the ground by one massive arm.   
  
"Why shouldn't I?" Ron asked stubbornly.   
  
"I'm not s'posed to tell yer this," Hagrid said lowering his voice as if a professor would pop out form behind the bushes. "But there's been sightin's of some dark critters in 'ere," Hagrid said seriously.   
  
"That's not exactly a secret Hagrid," Ron said boredly as he was pulled out of the forest and towards the castle.   
  
"Not them regular ones we've 'ad for years, but darker ones. Ones that 'aven't been in these parts fer years," Hagrid whispered.   
  
"I've been going there four and five times a day since three days ago, and haven't seen any," Ron pointed out.   
  
"Well, maybe yer 'aven't been lookin' or maybe yer lucky, but there, in there. And yer not goin' back, ya hear?" Ron rolled his eyes but nodded, mostly just so Hagrid would leave him alone.   
  
'I'll only go back if I HAVE to," Ron said mentally to himself, walking into the Gryffindor common room.   
  
"Alright, what did you do to Hermione?" Harry asked once he got inside. Ron scowled at him.   
  
"Why do you automatically think its me?" He asked. Harry gave him an Isn't-It-Obvious? Look.   
  
"You should be asking HER what she did to ME," Ron said angrily.   
  
"What did she do to you," Harry asked pulling him onto a couch by the fire. He, Harry and Ginny were the only ones still up and for a second he let himself wonder what Harry and Ginny had been doing before he came but put the thought out of his mind as he said:   
  
"She ripped my fucking heart out and threw it in the fire." Harry and Ginny exchanged glances.   
  
"She told me to wait, that she wanted to go out with me, be my girlfriend, but that the timing wasn't right, so I waited. Now she's going out with someone else, she won't tell me who," Ron elaborated. Ginny and Harry exchanged glances.   
  
"I'm going to bed," Ron muttered getting up and leaving, ignoring Harry and Ginny's questions.   
  
A letter lay on his bed.   
Ron,   
I'm sorry about what's happened. It's not really what you think. I want to talk to you about it, but you keep disappearing. Give me a chance to explain-  
Ron put the letter down crumpled it up and threw it into the trashcan, in the corner. The hot wetness was on his cheeks again.   
  
Men don't cry. 


	4. Blood

Disclaimer: Yeah I own everything..... um, well actually more like.... NOTHING. Don't sue me! Well, actually you can but I really have nothing of any value, so it won't do that much for you.   
  
Summary: The mystery guy and bad, bad, BAD stuff happens.   
Blood   
  
Ron couldn't sleep that night. And not just because Harry had come in ten minutes, or so, after his letter crumpling and tried to coax Ron into tell him everything that had happened. Ron hadn't told, for reasons he didn't know, he used to tell Harry everything, But this, He just couldn't tell him.   
  
Harry gave up eventually letting Ron think alone. Who was it? That was the biggest question that kept him up, or maybe Who was better then him?   
  
Lots of people. Harry for one, but it couldn't be him, you couldn't fake the look of pity Harry had given him. None of the other boys in Gryffindor had really shown too much of an interest in Hermione, except maybe Neville. But he didn't suspect Neville would go after Hermione seeing as he, along with most the other boys at Hogwarts knew how he felt and Neville wasn't the type to put his friendships in danger.   
  
His body immediately seemed to pull itself up and walk towards the portrait hole, heading towards the forest. He stopped himself before he got there.   
  
'Not in less I HAVE to,' He reminded himself. He went back to bed lying down again and flipping over mindlessly. The forest, in the forest he could clear his thoughts, he could be away, he could hate her for this without actually hating her. It was like an obsession, and addiction.   
  
"No," He told himself aloud. He covered his mouth realizing that he had said it aloud and hoping no one had heard. Someone stirred a bit but eventually stopped and the room lay quiet again.   
  
"You don't look well," Ginny told him the next morning.   
  
"Thanks a lot," Ron muttered sarcastically. Staring across the Great hall and avoiding the spot where Hermione was sitting, not five feet from him.   
  
"Ron, can we-" Hermione's voice started gently.   
  
"No," Ron replied getting up and starting to leave.   
  
"Where are you going?" She asked.   
  
"Not hungry," Ron replied. Harry got up and walked after him.   
  
"Ron, you know this isn't her fault, she can't choose how she feels," Harry said once in step with Ron.   
  
"Neither can I," He muttered. They were both quiet thinking of what to say next, "Harry, aren't you mad at her? She kept it a secret from us, she won't even say who it is."   
  
"Sorta, I guess. But It's not like she's going out to make us mad, she's doing it to make herself happy." Harry said in a father like tone.   
  
"It hurts Harry, it's like she's stealing my happiness for herself," Ron said feeling his voice quiver. Harry stared up at Ron with a concerned look in his eyes. "I want to kill whoever is, whoever's making me like this." He whispered.   
  
"You've got to be logical about his Ron," Harry said nervously.   
  
"I don't, I can be stupid about this, she's being stupid, I can too," Ron shouted, suddenly quite loud. He ran. Outside, getting closer and closer the trees advancing, and then.   
  
"Not unless you have to!" He shouted at himself. Turning and walking back towards the castle.   
  
Classes seemed harder that day, Hermione kept trying to pull him aside to talk and Ron kept pulling away, ignoring her when all he really wanted to do was grab her and take her away to the forest, so he could be alone with her, and never go back, just the two of them, together, forever.   
  
"Ron, please, just talk to me, I have to patrol the halls, come with me," Hermione begged.   
  
"No," Ron said coldly. His back to her. She turned leaving, Ron heard the door shut. And waited five minutes before grabbing Harry's invisibility cloak and following after her.   
  
"Where's Weasley, thought you were going to try and get him to patrol with you," A mean voice asked. Ron ran as silently as he could catching up to Hermione to see whom she was talking to.   
  
Malfoy.   
  
"He wouldn't come," Hermione said in a trembling voice. "He's really mad at me." She looked as if she were going to cry, it made Ron want to hug her, tell her everything would be all right, that he forgave her. That she never had to patrol with Malfoy again, even if he WAS head boy.   
"He's stupid," Malfoy said in the usual tone he took on when insulting someone.   
  
"Don't say that about him," Hermione argued.   
  
"He's stupid to want to hurt you, can't he see you just want to be happy?" Ron gawked at the blonde haired figure. It couldn't be, not Malfoy...   
  
Malfoy snaked his long arm around Hermione's shoulder and the two of them started walking down the empty corridors.   
  
Ron clenched his fists. He wanted to kill him, that Bastard. He felt his fingernails digging into the palm of his hand, blood.   
  
He ran, wrenching himself away form the thought of killing Malfoy, before he knew what was going on he was crying, loud. Hard. In the center of the forest, his favorite spot where the trees left a hole so that he could see the sky.   
  
"Make it go away!" He yelled at the forest, the pain wasn't leaving like it normally did when he sat here, he didn't feel wonderfully detached. He felt sick, angry, pain.   
  
"Young human boys shouldn't be out tonight," A centaur that had apparently heard his cry said revealing himself from behind a tree. Ron recognized it vaguely as one they had met in there first year.   
  
"The planets tell me one of your age is in much danger, the one born of March Beware," Ron rolled his eyes.   
  
"I've already been stabbed, it can't get much worse," He spat at the creature who hissed at him angrily and turned leaving him in painful peace.   
  
Slowly he seemed to drift into an uneasy sleep, Hermione was with Malfoy and he was being stabbed, and bitten over and over again blood seemed to be seeping everywhere, Hermione was watching him and crying, and then he ran over and bit her blood pouring out over her lovely golden dress. He was happy. She cried in pain, wrenched around trying to get away, calling for Malfoy's help but he ran, and Ron strangled her.   
  
"NO!" He yelled seeing her limp body in his hands he opened his eyes, feeling a sharp pain in the back of his neck. He sat up rubbing the spot only to feel it wet.   
  
Dark red liquid glistened on his clumsy hand as he held his hand in front of him staring at it, lit only by the moonlight and the winking stars. He felt different, angry, rage, but power, He grabbed a faerie that flew overhead staring down at him nervously. He held it softly, tightening his hold gradually.   
  
"Let me go!" the faerie screamed in a high-pitched voice. Ron smiled covering its head with his other hand. He felt a nasty grin and urge run through his body and was only brought back form his trance when he heard the soft "Crack." Of the faeries bones. He opened his hands nervously   
  
Blood.  
  
"What have I done? What's happening to me?" He asked to no one in particular before getting up and running to the castle, he was stopped before he got there however.   
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Yes now the question is, what the hell is happening to Ron? More to come soon!   
Thanks, reviewers keep reviewing! 


	5. What Am I?

Disclaimer: Um, I think by now that everyone knows I own, just about squat, I mean I guess I do own the plot.... But I'm sure something quite similar to it has been written before, so really I own about nodda.   
  
Summary: Ron finds out what happened.   
What Am I?  
"What were ya' doin' in there?" Hagrid's gruff voice asked as Ron ran into him.   
  
"I couldn't help it," Ron said in a hoarse voice, staring up at the Giant above him. Hagrid's hand landed on Ron's shoulder roughly. He pulled it back right after it landed probably with a look of disgust on it, although in the dark Ron couldn't tell.   
  
"You'd better come with me," Hagrid said in a slightly nervous voice. Ron nodded breathing hard. He followed Hagrid with a nasty feeling of pleasure. He felt infinite, powerful.   
  
Light seemed to flood in all around Ron, it made him slightly anxious and was not quite sure why. Hagrid looked back at him, fear written on his features.   
  
"Does it hurt?" Hagrid asked gruffly. The question seemed to echo in Ron's ears several times before he could comprehend the meaning of the words. It didn't hurt. It had at first but now, it felt... Fine, Good.   
  
"No," Ron answered shortly, staring down at his bloody hands. This seemed to scare Hagrid more. He pulled Ron's jacket off carefully pulling down the collar of his shirt. He didn't seem happy about what he found.   
  
He told Ron to sit down, which Ron did, still puzzled at what was going on. Hagrid grabbed his chin gently pulling his mouth open.   
  
Hagrid seemed to gape at the appearance of the inside of Ron's mouth, it made Ron nervous. What was wrong?   
  
"Stay 'ere," He ordered, letting go of Ron's jaw and heading towards a cupboard. Ron slowly ran his tongue along his teeth, blood filled his mouth.   
  
Fangs.   
  
He had fangs.   
  
"Hagrid," Ron started slowly, getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Hagrid glanced back at him, "A-am, I a, a, werewolf?" Ron asked nervously. Hagrid shook his head. He walked back towards where Ron sat holding a small hand mirror, he walked around, behind Ron and held out the mirror in front of them.   
  
Ron blinked at the vision in front of him. Hagrid, stood there, with that same concerned look on his face but in front of him, was a translucent Ron.   
  
"Thank God," Hagrid whispered. Ron yelled loudly, no particular words, just a yell.   
  
"I-I'm dead," He muttered after his outburst, Hagrid shook his head.   
  
"Not exactly," He said.   
  
"Then what the hell AM I?" Ron asked afraid of the answer.   
  
Hagrid wasn't the one to tell Ron, he made Ron go up to the castle with him and they went straight to see Dumbledore.   
  
"Just tell me," Ron said angrily, he could feel something surging through him, he felt strong, powerful.   
  
"Watch yer temper," Hagrid muttered staring at him nervously. It confused Ron, it seemed that Hagrid was, afraid of him. He had power, he had turned into something inhuman, yet he still had human thoughts.   
  
"I'm afraid you were bitten by a vampire," Dumbledore said in a sad voice once Ron was seated in front of him and Hagrid told him about the mirror, teeth, and marks on his back.   
  
"A-a vampire?" Ron sputtered nervously. They had studied them the previous year. Vampires were soulless, heartless demons, who had to drink blood to live, and kill to stay sharp.   
  
"Yes. But luckily, it seems whoever it was that bit you did it sloppily, and you weren't fully dead before they mixed your bloods. Therefore, you are a vampire, with a soul." Ron gaped at him, a vampire with a soul? He was speechless, and yet had so many questions.   
  
"What does that mean?" He finally asked after a long moment of silence.   
  
"It means, that in a way, you're half and half. Half man, half vampire. Because you're half and half you can stay on at Hogwarts, but you'll have to take special classes, classes to teach you to control yourself," Dumbledore said very seriously. Ron nodded. "Until tomorrow you will stay in the hospital wing, if anyone asks, you were clawed by an owl."   
  
"So then, I'm not aloud to tell anyone I'm a-a..." Ron trailed off, 'monster' the word rang in his head making him feel ill, he saw himself hurting people, killing, killing malfoy. He grinned feeling his body surge.   
  
"You are not to tell anyone, and are not to try any spells, until after you've learned to control yourself. You'll meet with professor Lupin after dinner until we believe you need no more training."   
  
"Ok," Ron said still dwelling on the idea of biting Malfoy and watching him as he died.   
  
"Your professors will be informed of these unfortunate events." Dumbledore added, and Ron was taken up to the hospital wing.   
  
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione came to visit the next day, hearing about his unfortunate accident with an owl.   
  
"But why would an owl do that? I mean they don't normally just attack people," Harry said puzzledly staring at the bandage on Ron's neck.   
  
"My guess is someone put a spell on it to attack me," Ron said using the story he had made up when he couldn't sleep.   
  
"But who?" Ginny asked.   
  
"Probably Malfoy," Ron said bitterly, shooting a look at Hermione. She didn't even flinch, just nodded along with the rest of them as if she hated him more then ever. It made Ron angry, why could she trick everyone like this? Why didn't anyone notice that she was going off to meet the antichrist?   
  
'Because Harry and Ginny are to busy flirting to notice anything around them,' Ron thought to himself. He could feel himself changing again, his teeth growing to fangs, body getting stronger. He saw his face in the reflection of the metal pitcher of water that sat on his bedside table, his face was pale and his hair seemed to be getting slightly darker.   
  
"Ron, you really don't look well, maybe that owl had a disease or something," Hermione said seeming to notice the change. It only made him angrier, she had to leave, he couldn't let her know. He couldn't let anyone know.   
  
"I need to get some sleep now," He slurred trying to keep his lips shut.   
  
"Maybe we should get Madame Pomferey," Ginny suggested.   
  
"No, I'm ok," Ron insisted. "I just need to sleep," They nodded each saying goodbye in turn before leaving Ron alone. He stared at his reflection he was getting that awful urge again, he needed to kill, he needed blood. His body forced him up before he could stop it and he started wandering recklessly towards the door.   
  
"Mr. Weasley! Please try to contain yourself!" Madame Pomferey yelled a look of terror shining in her eyes. He could feel his heart beating excitedly, while he mentally cursed himself. Ron advanced on her sliding his tongue against his teeth and feeling blood fill his mouth.   
  
'Sharp,' He thought to himself putting his hands out to grab her. He threw her roughly onto the hospital bed leaning over her mouth wide when he froze. He had vaguely heard someone yell a spell but couldn't turn his head to see who had frozen him.   
  
"Your gonna need to learn to control that," Lupin's voice said calmly from behind him. Madame Pomferey whimpered, pulling herself lose from Ron's grasp. Ron could feel his body relax and his teeth shrinking to normal size.   
  
"Thought I'd check on you, make sure you really were bitten by a vampire," Lupin's voice continued, "Finite Incantatem," He muttered and Ron fell onto the bed with a loud thump. "Obviously, you were bitten, and will need quite a bit of training."   
  
"No kidding?" Ron asked sarcastically.   
  
"Don't get angry at me, I can kick your vampire ass, we will get you blood, but you can't go biting whomever you want, people get suspicious about stuff like that," Lupin said goodheartedly Ron glared at him staring down at his hands, they were slowly becoming tan again.   
  
"I can't stop it, I can tell when I'm changing but I can't make it stop," Ron said glancing up at him.   
  
"Well, I'll help you learn how. You are to come and see me at about ten thirty tonight, the rest of the time it will be right after dinner."   
  
"Why ten o'clock tonight?" Ron asked.   
  
"Haven't you studied Vamps yet?" Lupin asked as if the reason were obvious.   
  
"Well, yeah, but what does timing have to do with anything?"   
  
"A vampire will go back to the form they were when they were bitten after twenty-four hours. That's why vampires and vampiresses can't die," Lupin started to explain.   
  
"Oh, and I was bitten at about ten, so then I'll be all healed," Ron said nodding.   
  
"Right," Lupin said nodding, "I have to go tell the rest of the class the change of time, so I'll see you tonight."   
  
"You mean I'm not the only vampire?" Ron asked amazed.  
  
"There's one other vamp, one other werewolf, not counting me, and a veela," Lupin said grinning, "Never noticed?" Ron shook his head, "Good then I did my job," Lupin muttered before winking and leaving.   
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So was anyone expecting that? I didn't want to make it TOO obvious. This may be a little cliché sounding, like buffy or something, but I'm trying to not let it get that way. There aren't a lot of HP stories about vamps.  
Please review and read my newest story Tears of War 


	6. Control

Disclaimer: everyone I'm sure knows this by now, but I own nothing  
  
Summary: Ron's first class   
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Control  
  
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Ron was watching the clock. 9:57. About three minutes until he would be officially "healed." And then, class. He stared over his shoulder at the mirror, which was reflecting his bareback. Two nasty dark spots marked the fangs. He wondered how long he'd be able to keep the "bite" a secret from Harry. Everyone else he was sure he could fool, but Harry, well best friends had a way of knowing things about one another. Normally he'd be nervous about Hermione also, but he wasn't planning on talking to her anymore, not since... The Malfoy incidence.   
  
Three seconds. Fifty-seven. Fifty-eight. Fifty-nine. Ten o'clock. A sharp pain stung his back, the same pain that he had gotten when it had happened, and then, it was gone and the skin on his back had somehow melded together, leaving only two small white identical spots. He felt the power surge through him quickly and watched his eyes flash red in the mirror, and then, he was back to regular. Normal, old Ronald Weasley. He grinned in the mirror, except he wasn't normal, not anymore. And no one knew it, except the teachers, staff, and him. IT somehow left him feeling triumphant, the thought of tricking everyone.   
  
He yanked his blue jumper on over his head, took water from the faucet and splashed it on his face and then left, setting out for the classroom Lupin had given him directions to. The corridors were empty of students as he made his way along them. He heard footsteps five minutes before seeing Filch and a heartbeat almost ten minutes before.   
  
'Fresh blood,' His head said greedily. 'No,' The other side of him shouted and he got that sick sinking feeling again.   
  
"What do you think your doing out of-" Filch cut off his eyes adjusting to the dim light, he made out whom it was. "Never mind," He muttered quickly, sidling up to the other side of the wall, as if trying to get as far away from him as possible. Ron felt a grin creep onto his lips. No one could control him.   
  
"Early Mr. Weasley?" Lupin asked as he opened the door. Ron shrugged.   
  
"I had a half hour to get here," He said peering in.   
  
"Not really, I told the rest that the class would start at 10:15, figuring you'd be so anxious that you'd come early." Ron glanced at the muggle watch he'd gotten for his birthday from Hermione, making a mental note to smash it up after tonight and scatter the remains all over her dormitory.   
  
"You were right," Ron said after reading that it was indeed 10:15. He peered into the classroom; four other people were seated there.   
  
"Thought you said that there were three others," Ron said rethinking what Lupin had said the night before. One other vamp, a werewolf and a veela.   
  
"There was another attack tonight," Lupin said seriously motioning towards a boy sitting slumped over with wolf-like ears sticking out of his sandy hair.   
  
"Seamus?" Ron asked wide-eyed. He looked up.   
  
"Just got attacked, two hours ago, Lavender and I went for a walk," He mumbled sounding miserable.   
  
Ron took a seat in the only empty chair (the chairs were set up in a circle) looking at the others carefully and trying to put names to their faces.   
  
"You all get acquainted with Ron, I've got to get him a uniform." Lupin said getting up and leaving the room, shutting the door lightly.   
  
"Uniform?" Ron asked.   
  
"For vampires, it's something you wear under your other clothes so that you aren't burned by the sun," A tall girl with long wavy auburn hair and pail skin explained. "I'm a vampiress," She explained, putting a hand out for him to shake, "Blaise Zabini." Ron shook her hand. She was staring at him directly in the eye, her eyes were smoky colored but then suddenly flashed red. She pulled her hand away abruptly adverting her gaze to the ground. "I was bitten last summer on a holiday to Scotland."   
  
"I'm Gabriella Delacour, a veela, I sink ve met in your forth year, my third, vhen I came over for ze trivizard tournament, I tranzverred, last year," She said smiling in a soft way.   
  
"So you need training on what?" Ron asked not looking directly at her eyes for fear she'd catch him in a daze.   
  
"Vell, veelas aren't alvays like zis, vhen ve get angry ve can change into very unpleasant creatures," She explained.   
  
"I'm a werewolf like Seamus," A boy Ron recognized as Justin Finch Fletchley said as if it were the most regular thing in the world. "Have been since the beginning of forth year." Ron gaped at him.   
  
"Really?" He asked. Justin nodded.   
  
"I went to spend the summer with one of my friends in Hufflepuff and I got bitten, he just got scraped up a bit," He explained. Lupin came in tossing a black shirt made of slightly shiny material and matching black pants at Ron.   
  
"This what we call a fashion statement?" Ron said wryly holding up the clothes.   
  
"That's what we call Vamp-wear, that you have to where, unless you want to turn into a pile of ashes in the light of the sun," Lupin replied, "Now, since we've all been acquainted, we'll start with mind control, Why are we starting with mind control?"   
  
"Because if we can control our own minds, we can control our bodies," Justin answered.   
  
"Correct." Lupin said grinning, "First set up across from someone, then you are to insult each other and we'll see who is the first to change."   
  
"But professor, I don't know HOW to stop myself," Ron said nervously as Blaise pulled her chair in front of his and sat facing him.   
  
"That is what your partner is for, when your partner starts changing you are to stop and wait for them to control themselves, eventually you will be able to tell when your going to change and be able to tell your body 'no' at which point you will be in complete control of your new instincts," Lupin explained.   
  
"Just insults then?" Blaise asked.   
  
"For today," Lupin said with a grin.   
  
"What would we do other then insults?" Ron asked in a whisper. Blaise grinned,   
  
"So you don't know what other feelings will make you change yet?" Blaise asked. Ron shook his head.   
  
"What are they?" He repeated.   
  
"You'll soon find out," She said before launching into a row of insults that managed to annoy him greatly until he felt the heat chorus through his body.   
  
"Now stop," Blaise said grabbing his hand and rubbing it softly with the tips of her fingers.   
  
"I bloody can't," He said feeling his teeth enlarging.   
  
"You have to, just calm down, think of something peaceful, something serene, think of... the forest," She said Ron's eyes widened as he looked at her. How did she know about the forest? Her eyes flashed like they had before and she ripped her hand from his looking away form him. She took in a few deep breaths and looked back up, completely normal.   
  
"There, see you did it," Blaise said smiling at him.   
  
"I did stop changing, didn't I?" He muttered happily, "But what did you say about the forest?" He asked.   
  
"I-I didn't say anything about the forest," Blaise said making a face at him.   
  
"I could have sworn you-"   
  
"Well, you were mistaken," She cut in sharply.   
  
"All managed to maintain control I see," Lupin said smiling and nodding. "Even our two newest students," Lupin added, impressed.   
  
"Well, it is a bit late, so for tonight that's all we'll do, tomorrow, will be a normal lesson unless there are anymore bites, and Ron and Seamus, you two are to check out of the library, 'Life After The Bite, A Study On Dark Creatures,' and read the chapters on your own species and the introduction. See you all tomorrow after dinner."   
  
Ron picked up his note from Lupin saying he could check out the book, which did happen to be in the restricted section, and got his "uniform" and took them with him back to the Gryffindor boy's dorm.   
  
"Can't believe it," Seamus muttered, "I'm a bloody monster, and I don't think Lavender will ever speak to me again..."   
  
"What happened?" Ron asked in a whisper so as not to wake the other boys that were already asleep.   
  
"I went mad, I couldn't help it, I tried to bite her, luckily Hagrid grabbed me," Seamus explained looking terrified at his own story. Ron shrugged it was the best he could do for something sympathetic, he had too much on his mind.   
  
Hermione and Malfoy, Harry and Ginny, Blaise Zabini knowing about his obsession with the forest, or maybe his obsession had gotten worse, maybe he had really just imagined she'd said that. She acted different around him then any other girl he'd ever met, like she was afraid of him almost.   
  
"Ron, wake up," It was Hermione, he had over slept and she was waking him.   
  
"Go away," He mumbled in an almost incoherent way.   
  
"Ron, we've got class in an hour, you want breakfast don't you?" Ron opened his eyes smiling at her softly.   
  
"Ok," He muttered sitting up and stretching, Watching gave him this feeling all his energy rushing all over the place, anger rage, it was then that everything went back into focus. Hermione, Malfoy, Hermione, Malfoy, Hermione... "Get out," He muttered bluntly.   
  
"Ron, please-"   
  
"Look, Hermione, you have to leave right now," Ron said straining to stay calm.   
  
"Can we just-?"   
  
"NO!" Ron shouted his teeth painfully growing. Her eyes were wide, scared, she got up and ran out. "Damnit," Ron hissed at himself. He stumbled up onto his feet feeling lightheaded. Blood. "I need blood," He hissed to no one in particular he panted as he yanked his "uniform" shirt on over his head. He pulled the pants on next, they were soft, silky almost, it was strange, Ron wasn't used to clothes like that he was used to thick rough materials. He pulled a long sleeve T-shirt on over the black shirt and jeans on over the pants. Just as he was finishing someone knocked on the floor.   
  
"Who is it?" Ron asked.   
  
"Seamus,"   
  
"Come in," Seamus came in holding a pewter goblet.   
  
"Professor Lupin told me to bring this to you," He said holding the goblet out in front of him as if it were poison. Ron took the goblet from Seamus knowing already what was inside. Blood. He could smell it. He took it downing it quickly.   
  
"Thanks," He murmured wiping his mouth. Seamus looked ill.   
  
"No problem." 


	7. Agony

Disclaimer: everyone I'm sure knows this by now, but I own nothing  
Summary: Fights with Hermione, Talks with Blaise reading about vamps   
  
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Agony   
  
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"Can I talk to you, please," Hermione asked after the Gryffindor's first class got out. Ron sighed.   
  
"Fine," He said breathing hard, just looking at her and it made him feel like he was going to change. She pulled him into an empty classroom and shut the door behind them.   
  
"Ron, I really am sorry." Hermione started avoiding his eyes.   
  
"Sorry for what? Lying to me or killing me?" Ron asked cynically. 'Stay calm.'   
  
"Ron, you of all people should know that you can't help how you feel," Hermione muttered in a rehearsed way.   
  
"So when did you stop feeling for me how I feel for you?" he muttered calmly.   
  
"I still love you, it's just, I'm involved-"   
  
"Do you love him?" Ron broke in.   
  
"Ron, love is a complex thing, it's not something you can just recognize-" Hermione's same rehearsed voice droned. He could here her heart beating, calm thump. Thump. Thump. Ron felt his breathing speed up 'STAY CALM.'   
  
"I recognize it every time I look at you," he stated feeling his throat close up, the last word 'you' came out as a sob.   
  
"Ron, I didn't mean to hurt you," Hermione said sympathetically her eyes sparkling with tears she wouldn't let fall.   
  
"Agony Hermione, you didn't just hurt me, I'm dying in agony-"   
  
"Ron-"   
  
"Well, how would you like it? Huh? How would you like it if someone you thought loved you went out with, with, Blaise Zabini or Pansy Parkinson?" Ron asked loudly. Energy was surging, his blood felt like it was boiling, his teeth hurt, as they grew painfully larger. "How come it had to be Malfoy?" The words came at as sobs. Hermione was gaping at him tears trickling down her cheeks.   
  
"How did you know?" She asked in a small innocent sounding voice.   
  
"I followed you damnit! I couldn't take it, not knowing who was so much better then me!" Hermione shook her head,   
  
"No Ron! Don't say that! No one is better then you! It's just... He wants to change, I'm helping him, he's good now," Hermione encircled her arms around him. Talking into his chest. Her heart beating loudly against his chest.  
  
"He's not like-" Thump. Thump. "He uses to be-" Thump. Thump. "He really-" Thump. "Genuinely-" Thump. "Wants-" thump. "To bec-" Thump. "-ome a," Thump. "Better-" Thump "Person-"   
  
'Blood, need, blood, need power, need to kill... NO!" Ron threw her away from him, hearing her head connect with a desk with a loud clash, blood seeped from the spot and found himself falling to the ground sucking up the blood as Hermione lay there unconscious. His eyes ran over Hermione as he wiped his mouth, blood had trickled down his chin, hunger flooded into him, she was unconscious, he could bite her now, drink form her and then turn her into a vampire like him he could- slowly he felt his teeth shrink back to normal size energy stop coursing, power diminish. He stared down at her in a daze.   
  
"What have I done?" He asked to no one in particular. 'Did I- Did I do that? How could I have... To Hermione...?"   
  
He ran. Pushing people out of his way, yelling at all the students just trying to get to class, blood, the flavor was still in his mouth. He spit trying to rid himself of it. Hermione's own blood in his mouth, staining his hands. He ran.   
  
'What if they found out?'  
  
He was in the forest for hours forgetting classes, feeling guilty, and sick, and stronger then ever. He lay on the ground trying to shut the thought out of his head.   
  
'How could I have done that?' He asked himself mentally. Tears were seeping out of his eyes and falling onto his cheeks. Why couldn't she love him like he loved her? Why?   
  
He panted trying desperately to make it go away, the power, he needed to be weak, to be regular again. But he couldn't force it. His teeth had shrunk back to regular size, hair was bright, red, skin was tan, but he felt too much power.   
  
He lay like that for some time before it occurred to him that he was missing classes, and that people may be looking for him.   
  
"Ron? God where'd you go? Hermione was attacked!" Harry said as Ron walked through the front entrance.   
  
"She has?" Ron asked trying to sound interested. Harry nodded concernedly. "I went to visit her, but she had a concussion and wasn't awake."   
  
'Damn it.'   
  
"I think I may go up to see her," I muttered, more to get away from the corridor, it was filled with so many, there heartbeats echoed in Ron's ears.   
  
"Ok. But Ron, where were y-?" The question was lost in the noise and Ron was gone form sight. He avoided the heavily used corridors sticking to the ones on the outer edges of the castle.   
  
No more heartbeats. He could breath again without the fear of lunging at someone and trying to gore them. He was alone, and content with it. He wandered mindlessly realizing that he had missed most of his classes, and lunch. It didn't matter though, after all, he was a vampire now, and it seemed vampires were only hungry for one thing... Blood. Death.   
  
"Ran away, did you?" A voice asked behind him, before he was aware someone was there. He whirled around. Blaise Zabini.   
  
"How come I didn't hear you?" He asked.   
  
"If you had read that book, like you were supposed to, you'd know that vampires don't have heartbeats. We are creatures of the dead, we don't NEED heartbeats." She said head bowed.   
  
"Oh," Ron mumbled.   
  
"So, you haven't read anything on your new... Development yet?" She asked snaking a hand around in her auburn hair. Ron shook his head.   
  
"Not yet,"   
  
"So then, you don't know what makes you, 'change'?" Ron shook his head again feeling dim.   
  
"Oh."   
  
"You could tell me," Ron coaxed. She looked up at him and shook her head.   
  
"I don't think I could," She said looking off to the side of his face, and not directly in his eyes. "I think the thought would do it to me. I can control anger, but... well, some of the other things, I can't."   
  
"Oh, well, maybe I'll go get it from the library then," Ron said trying to get away from the awkward silence.   
  
"Where were you going before I came?" Blaise asked glancing up at him momentarily before tearing her eyes away and to the ground.   
  
"Um, to see my friend, Hermione, she's in the hospital," Ron said feeling guilty.   
  
"I heard about that," Blaise mumbled, "Why'd you attack her?" Ron narrowed his eyes at her.   
  
"How'd you-?"   
  
"Some one saw you go into that room with her, and I doubt anyone else could throw her against that desk hard enough to knock her out," she explained.   
  
"I didn't mean to, it's just... She makes me crazy. And I can't help it, I just keep running back, hoping things will change and she just keeps..." Ron trailed off his voice shaking; he bit his lower lip staring at the wall.   
  
"Is she muggle born?" Blaise asked.   
  
"So what if she is?" Ron said loudly feeling defensive.   
  
"I didn't mean it like that, it's just, Draco Malfoy, well, he's been bragging about 'messing' with a gryffindor mud- muggle born," Blaise explained. Ron's jaw tightened, he knew he was going to start changing if he didn't make it stop now.   
  
"Damn it." He groaned.   
  
"Just breath, think of something pleasant," Blaise said nervously. Ron sucked in gasps of air squeezing his eyes shut and thinking of the day he found out he made it on the quidditch team, and then Christmas, and summers with his friends at the burrow. "See, you can control it," Blaise said approvingly.   
  
"Thanks," Ron's voice was low and soft. "I think I'll go get that book now."   
  
"Then I'll see you tonight," Blaise said nodding and turning to go in the opposite direction from Ron. He walked a little way down the hall before glancing back; Blaise was still standing there watching him, eyes red. She turned quickly when he saw her and started running.   
  
  
Madame Pince stared skeptically at Ron as he handed her the note.   
  
"Hurry up then," She barked as she un did the chains closing off the restricted section.   
  
"Freaking hag," Ron muttered under his breath as he grabbed a copy off the shelf. She watched him as if he were going to turn around and gore her to death.   
  
'And if I did, she couldn't stop me,' He thought, grinning. He shook his head. He had to maintain control, save rage for other matters, 'Like Malfoy,' a voice in the back of his head hissed.   
  
The book was a heavy one, he opened it nervously once up in his dormitory.   
  
"Part one, introductory," Ron read softly to himself. He scanned the page, it was small print. Bland and boring looking, he flipped through until he got to the "Vampire and Vampiress section" He scanned down the page.   
  
'Half-breeds, (When the blood is exchanged before the victim is dead, therefore making a vampire with human tendencies) changing is triggered differently then a regular vamp's changing. A regular vamp is able to choose and control when they change, whereas a Half breed's changing is triggered by feelings, generally ones of Anger, intense excitement, and, most strongly, when the vamp feels strongly attracted sexually to another.'   
  
Ron gaped at the page. Did that mean...? When Blaise's eyes flashed red like that, was that because she was....?   
  
'The symptoms generally associated with changing are as follows: Teeth enlargement, Super natural strength, Red eyes, and sometimes: Skin paling, and hair darkening.   
Vamps also can be known to feel great power which can lead to great violence if not controlled.'   
  
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First Corinne, thanks for correcting me on the centaur thing. You're right about Ron not being there with Harry in the woods.   
  
Thanks everyone else who reviewed also, I'm trying to add chapters as soon as I can! Hope you like this one.   
  
More to come! 


	8. Abused

Disclaimer: Me own nothing. Do not sue.   
  
Summary: Read and you will see! (My way of saying ".... Uh.... Not sure yet")  
  
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Abused  
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Ron swung around catching Professor Lupin's arm before it swung into his head.   
  
"Very good," Professor Lupin praised. It had taken him three tries to do the fighting without turning into a vampire. He sucked oxygen into his lungs calmly and heavily.   
  
"Professor," Ron started as Lupin wiped sweat from his forehead.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"I was reading, that book, um, it said vampires are attracted more to the blood of muggles then to the blood of purebloods," Lupin nodded.  
  
"That's why you need to stay clear of Hermione when you're angry," Lupin said giving him a knowing look. Ron glanced to the floor.   
  
"I didn't mean for that to happen, I just, I mean, I wanted her away, I was changing, I told her to go, I pushed her-"   
  
"No one's holding it against you, but you should take that as a warning, you need to be CAREFUL." Lupin said sternly. Seamus went next and Ron took a seat between Justin and Gabrielle. He saw Blaise give him a meaningful look that quickly turned red. Ron looked away nervously.   
  
"The temper, is why I need to talk to you about-" Lupin broke off blocking Seamus's hit and knocking him to the ground, he helped him up and continued, "Quitting the quidditch team."   
  
"I'm not quitting," Ron spat.   
  
"You have no choice, Headmaster Dumbledore ordered it, we can't have you changing in front of students, particularly not outside in the daytime, even with your uniform on if you change outside you'll burn," Lupin said as Justin got up next.   
  
"But Professor, I worked for six years to get onto the team!" Ron groaned.   
  
"Ron, there are better things out there for you then quidditch, besides this may help your grades," Lupin said in a teacherly tone. Ron scoffed something about sounding like Hermione before stopping cold. Hermione.   
  
He looked at Professor Lupin and felt a prickling behind his eyes.   
  
"Can I go see-" Lupin nodded before Ron finished his question and Ron got up and headed for the door.   
  
"But Ron, control," Lupin called after him.   
  
The corridors seemed cold and empty on the way there. He was furious with her, and with himself. Why was she with that bloody ferret? Why had he let himself drink from her? It made him feel sick, like he had raped her of something.   
  
"Mr. Wealsey," Madame Pomferey's nervous voice quaked as Ron towered over her looking particularly distraught.   
  
"I need to see Hermione," He said seriously.   
  
"Visiting times-"   
  
"Now, I need to see her now," Ron said stubbornly. She stepped aside and Ron went into the hospital wing searching behind curtains for Hermione. He found her lying warmly underneath blankets, she stirred slightly, Ron hadn't heard that she had woken. He stood nervously shifting his weight not sure whether to go closer but wanting to, wanting to so much it was painful, he felt himself heat up.   
  
Damnit.   
  
His body propelled him forward; he sucked in a breath holding it inside for a while before letting it back out. He felt himself go back to normal. His hand reached out and stroked her warm cheek. Soft and tender. He kneeled beside her bed pressing his cheek to hers her warmth flowing into him, he was changing. His body seemed to be ignoring his brain's shouts to "STOP"   
  
His hand cupped the side of her face and his lips pressed gently against her soft cheek, before slowly trailing to her lips. He was too far along, he couldn't make it stop. He felt her stir and used his hands to hold her steady, his lips trailed slowly to her neck he let his fangs slide gently over her skin, not quite letting them break the skin. He was teasing himself trying to hold back, trying to ignore the soft thudding of her heart, the smell of fresh blood just underneath her soft flesh.   
  
"Fuck," He cursed softly yanking his head away from her he jammed his teeth into his own arm, sucking his own blood into his mouth. It wasn't satisfying, but it kept him from biting her. He watched her.   
  
Her warm breath tickling his face, the rise and fall of her chest, the long eye lashes tracing the line of her eye. Her soft lips moist, and pink. And a nasty bandage messily covering the side of her head where she had collided with the desk, where he had drunk from her, where he had raped her.   
  
"I love you, even though you torture me, I still love you. I'm not good enough, I know that Slytherin asshole's not either, even if you believe he is. You deserve better, you don't deserve a vampire who tries to rape you every time he sees you," Ron got up to leave feeling the prickling behind his eyes again. Hermione stirred.   
  
"Ron?" Her innocent little voice asked. Ron kept his teeth clamped and legs cemented to the ground, getting and urge to quiet her by kissing her again. "What happened? I was talking to you and then..." She trailed off.   
  
"I'm in love with you and you love Satan, to sum it up," He said bitterly, turning his head away from her.   
  
"He wants to change, his father abuses him Ron, he needs to be loved," Her voice sang angelically.   
  
"Are you in love with him?" Ron asked turning around completely and hoping she wouldn't notice how his hair must be darkening and skin paleing.   
  
"I'm not sure," She whispered.   
  
"Are you in love with... me?" His voice shook and he licked his lips nervously.   
  
"Sometimes I think so, others... He's really sweet, Ron, and he loves me, and sometimes I just need to be in love with him, for him."   
  
"What about for me?" The words echoed into nothingness and Ron ran. He was getting too angry. He glared down at his sleeve which was soaked he half ran down from corridor to corridor, taking the least used ones as normal.   
  
"It's better that way, you know," Ron turned around. Blaise Zabini.   
  
"What are you? My own perverted stalker?" Ron asked quite loudly. She looked at the ground her face reddening. "Look," Ron mumbled, "I'm sorry, I just, I'm having a bad day, no quidditch... and well..." He trailed off throwing his arms up as if in explanation. Blood splattered the wall. He saw her eyes redden hungrily. It made him sick.   
  
"You think you love her, don't you?" She asked softly snapping back to normal. Ron nodded feeling his throat get dry. "It doesn't work, you know, they tell you they'll love you no matter what, and then they find out, and... Well, you either have to make them one of you, or perform a memory charm and stay away from them," She said sadly.   
  
"Hermione's different," Ron croaked. Blaise stared at him in a longing way.   
  
"I hope your right... For your sake," She said so softly Ron wasn't sure he had really heard it. Ron felt obligated to say something, or do something, something comforting maybe, he reached out and patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. She jumped flinging herself away from him.   
  
"I'm... sorry," Ron muttered puzzeledly.   
  
"No, uh, I didn't mean to, uh, it's a reflex... Physical contact has kind of been a problem for me," She said slowly. Ron searched her face. She turned cynical, "I was abused." She said bluntly staring him straight in the eye. Ron sucked in a breath,  
  
"I'm sorry," He breathed out. She shook her head.   
  
"I should go," She said before turning and bolting Ron watched after her torn between following and leaving her to dwell on her own problems.   
  
  
~"He wants to change, his father abuses him Ron, he needs to be loved,"~ Hermione's voice was still clear.   
  
'Who does that? Abuses people, ruins there lives and everyone else's?' Ron thought feeling bitter. Why did Hermione have to be the one to love him? Why not some other girl? Why did Blaise have to tell him her problem? How come she didn't tell some other guy? 


End file.
